Case with active illumination

ABSTRACT

A case for retaining a disk-like electronic storage medium. The case includes front and back portions, each portion including a planar panel having a peripheral flange. The portions are joined at a hinge that is fixed to peripheral edges of the planar front and back panels and arranged so that, the peripheral flanges are mutually aligned to define an interior space. An interior housing within the interior space is provided for receiving at least one source of light and an electrical circuit for intermittently energizing the source of light.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cases for the display and packaging of cassettes, DVD's and CD's. More particularly, this invention pertains to a case that incorporates active illumination for attracting the attention of consumers.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The proliferation of electronic entertainment media, including videos and games, has resulted in the omnipresence of such storage devices as DVD's and CD's. Such devices comprise planar disks whose content is suitable for reading by means of a laser output device.

Retail marketing of such storage devices commonly includes packaging of the device within a square boxlike case. The case is routinely fabricated of transparent plastic. This allows the insertion of identifying and advertising material as opposed to reliance upon the “naked” disk.

Retailers commonly carry voluminous numbers of encased DVD's and CD's. While some regularizing of the process of consumer searching is provided by the use of alphabetized bins and posters routinely adorn stores marketing these goods, the immense scope of this market renders the incorporation of means for attracting the consumer's eye into this process extremely valuable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the preceding and other shortcomings of the prior art by providing a case. Such case includes a front portion that has a planar front panel with a peripheral flange. A back portion includes a planar back panel having a peripheral flange.

A hinge is flexibly joined to a peripheral edge of each of the planar front and back panels. The front and back portions of the case are arranged so that the peripheral flanges of the planar front and back panels are mutually aligned and inclined toward one another to define an interior space within the case.

At least one source of light is provided as well as an electrical circuit for intermittently energizing the source of light. An interior housing is provided within the interior space for receiving the source of light and the electrical circuit.

The preceding and other features of the invention are described in a detailed description that follows. Such description is accompanied by a set of drawing figures. Numerals of the drawing figures, corresponding to those of the written description, point to the features of the invention. Like numerals refer to like features throughout both the written description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a case (closed configuration) in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the case (open configuration) illustrating the interior space and accompanying features (with internal cover removed) in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3( a), 3(b) and 3(c) are planar, frontal and side elevation views, respectively, of an internal cover of the interior housing of a case in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the interior housing of a case in accordance with the invention taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a case 10 (closed configuration) in accordance with the invention. The case 10 is suitable for storage of a disk-like storage medium such as a CD or DVD and includes a plurality of sources of light 12 through 18, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are sequentially energized to catch the attention of a shopper.

The case 10 includes a front portion 20 and a mating back portion 22, each of which is preferably of molded plastic. The front and back portions 20, 22 may include a thin transparent overlay of transparent, flexible material that permits the insertion of printed materials to cover the planar front and/or back panels. Such materials give the complete packaging the appearance of an album or book with descriptive and/or decorative cover(s).

The front portion 20 generally comprises a planar front panel 24 bounded by peripheral flanges 26 through 30 while the back portion 22 includes a planar back panel 32 with peripheral flanges 34 through 38 that are arranged to align with and face corresponding flanges of the planar front panel 24. The front portion 20 is flexibly joined to the back portion 22 by at edge 39 of a common hinge 40 while the back portion 22 is flexibly joined to the hinge at an edge 41. The facing peripheral flanges 26, 28, 30 and 34, 36, 38 respectively and the hinge 40, in combination, cause the planar front and back panels 24, 32 to assume a generally parallel, spaced-apart configuration when the case 10 is in the closed configuration of FIG. 1, to create an interior space 42 therebetween.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the case 10 (open configuration) illustrating the interior space 42 and accompanying features (with an internal cover removed) in accordance with the invention. The interior surface of the back panel 32 of the case 10 appears on the right-hand side of this view while the interior of the front panel 24 appears on the left-hand side of the view of FIG. 2.

As can be seen, a generally circular holder 44 is formed at the interior of the back panel 32 for receiving and holding a disk-shaped CD or DVD. Such a holder 44 is conventionally configured in cases for holding disk-shaped media.

Turning to the interior surface of the front panel 24, an interior housing 50 includes an upper compartment 52 for mounting a circuit board that includes electronics for sequentially energizing the plurality of LEDs 12 through 18 and a lower compartment 54 for mounting batteries for energizing the electronics. Each of the compartments is defined by interior flanges that form walls within the interior space 42. FIGS. 3( a), 3(b) and 3(c) are planar, frontal and side elevation views, respectively, of an internal cover 56 of the interior housing 50 while FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the interior housing 50 taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 2 with the internal cover 56 engaged to the housing 50 and batteries and electronics fitted therein.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3(a) through 3(c) and 4 in combination, upstanding flanges 58 and 60 define the lower and upper boundaries of the lower compartment 54 while the upper compartment 52 exists between the upstanding flange 60 and the flanged peripheral edge 28 of the planar front panel 24. A representative sleeve 62 recedes from the front planar panel 24 into the upper compartment 52, mating with, and receiving the representative LED 16 that is, in turn, mounted to the circuit board 64 that is seated atop the sleeve 62 (as well as sleeves provided for the remaining LEDs 12, 14 and 18). Turning to the lower compartment 54, a plurality of d.c. batteries 66 (only one visible in FIG. 4) rests on a plurality of semicircular support ribs 68.

The internal cover 56 is fixed to the interior housing 50 by means of snap tabs 70 that are received in aligned apertures 72 within the upstanding flange 58 of the lower or battery compartment 54 of the internal housing 50. It is additionally secured by means of a pair or screws (not shown) that are received in holes 74 within the internal cover 56 that are aligned with internally-threaded sleeves 76 positioned within the upper or circuit board compartment 52 of the internal housing 50.

A spring electrode 78 is aligned with a fixed electrode 80 at the opposed ends of the lower or battery compartment 54. The electrodes 78, 80 sandwich an aligned pair of batteries therebetween, providing an electrical path to the electronics of the circuit board 64.

The electronics of the circuit board 64, including the LEDs 12 through 18, are preferably energized to provide a sequentially-illuminated display that greatly attracts the attention of shoppers. Alternative modes of energizing one of more of the LEDs, including periodic flashing of multiple LEDs, random sequencing of flashing, etc. may be achieved to attract the attention of shippers in accordance with the invention. The design of, preferably digital, circuitry for energizing the LEDs in accordance with any predetermined sequence is well known to those skilled in the art.

Thus it is seen that the present invention provides a case for a disk-like storage medium, such as a CD or DVD that is attractive to the eye of a shopper. By employing the teachings of this invention, one may facilitate the sale of goods by means of packaging that diverts the shopper's attention from competitors' goods and fixes his attention on the seller's goods. As a consequence, the marketing of CDs and DVDs is of enhanced effectiveness.

While this invention has been described with reference to its presently preferred embodiment, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the invention is limited only insofar as it is defined by the following set of patent claims and includes within its scope all equivalents thereof. 

1. A case comprising, in combination: a) a front portion, said front portion including a planar front panel having a peripheral flange; b) a back portion, said back portion including a planar back panel having a peripheral flange; c) a hinge being flexible joined to peripheral edges of said planar front and back panels; d) said front and back portions of said case being arranged so that said peripheral flanges of said planar front and back panels are mutually aligned and inclined toward one another to define, with said hinge, an interior space within said case; and e) an interior housing within said interior space for receiving at least one source of light and an electrical circuit for intermittently energizing said electrical circuit.
 2. A case as defined in claim 1 wherein said interior housing further comprises; a) a first portion for receiving at least one battery; and b) a second portion for receiving a circuit board.
 3. A case as defined in claim 2 wherein said source of light comprises a light emitting diode.
 4. A case as defined in claim 3 further characterized in that said at least one light emitting diode and electronics for energizing said at least one light emitting diode are fixed to said circuit board.
 5. A case as defined in claim 4 wherein said planar front panel has at least one open sleeve for receiving a light emitting diode.
 6. A case as defined in claim 1 wherein said interior housing further comprises: a) a pair of spaced-apart flanges fixed to the interior of said front panel defining walls of a lower compartment for receiving a plurality of batteries; and b) walls of an upper compartment for receiving a circuit board being defined by one of said last-named flanges and a peripheral flange of said planar front panel of said front portion.
 7. A case as defined in claim 6 further including electrodes located at opposed ends of said lower compartment.
 8. A case as defined in claim 7 wherein at least one of said electrodes comprises a spring.
 9. A case as defined in claim 6 further including: a) an interior cover for covering said interior housing; and b) said interior cover includes portions for covering said upper and lower compartments of said interior housing.
 10. A case as defined in claim 9 wherein said interior cover further includes at least one snap tab for engaging a corresponding aperture of a flange of said lower compartment of said interior housing. 